Propolis and Its Implications in Dentistry: A Review

Propolis is a resinous substance obtained from the beehives that has antioxidant, anti-bacterial, anti-viral, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory activity. Its diverse chemical content is responsible for many valuable properties. Multiple applications of propolis have been studied and described in detail for centuries. Propolis has been used for surgical wound healing, caries prevention, treatment of dentin hypersensitivity, treatment of aphthous ulcers and propolis as a storage medium for avulsed teeth, root canal irrigating solution, and mouthwash. This paper aims to indicate the uses of Propolis in various fields of dentistry. Keywords: Dentistry, Propolis, Oral health.

Use and Effectiveness of Propolis on Chronic Periodontitis: a Systematic Review

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of propolis on non-surgical periodontal therapy in patients with chronic periodontitis (CP) as it appears in the recent literature. Propolis is a natural and biocompatible resinous substance that has shown, by means of several scientific studies, to possess medicinal properties such as antimicrobial, healing, anesthetic, anti-inflammatory, and analgesic, among others. There are several studies that have reported the use of propolis as a non-surgical treatment of CP, its comparison with other antimicrobials, and the improvement of clinical and microbiological parameters with scaling and root planing (SRP). A bibliographic search was conducted in the PubMed, Google Scholar, Web of Science, and Science Direct databases up to 2021. The results showed that there are very few reports focused on clinical studies; however, according to the analyzed data, propolis could be a good adjuvant for the treatment of patients with chronic periodontitis compared to the conventional treatment (SRP).

THERMAL NEUTRALIZATION OF CARBON-CONTAINING SLUDGE

Acid tar is a resinous substance, which in most cases has a viscous structure. They are obtained as a result of sulfuric acid purification of petroleum distillates, oil residues, in the production of sulfonate additives, in the sulfonation and purification of oils, paraffins, kerosene and gas oil fractions and other petroleum products from aromatic hydrocarbons. Until recently, this type of waste was temporarily accumulated in specially designated areas - acid tar storage ponds, which were located near the oil refinery, which had a significant impact on the environment. The paper considers the process of formation of acid tar on the example of the production of sulfonate additives. The composition of the mixture of acid tar and sulfonate sludge was evaluated, and the hazard class of this type of waste was determined. Methods of utilization of acid tar are studied and a method of utilization of acid tar for the considered production is proposed.

Antifungal and Antibacterial Effect of Propolis: A Comparative Hit for Food-Borne Pseudomonas, Enterobacteriaceae and Fungi

Propolis is a natural brownish resinous substance collected by honeybees (Apis mellifera), with a documented bioactivity against many microorganisms. In this study, the activity of propolis was investigated using some strains of Pseudomonas spp., Enterobacteriaceae, Lactobacillus plantarum, yeasts (Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Debaryomyces hansenii) and Fusarium oxysporum. Two approaches were used (a modified microdilution protocol and viable count), and the microorganisms were inoculated at two levels (low or high inoculum). The antimicrobial effect of propolis relies upon several factors, like the kind of microorganisms (for example S. cerevisiae was more resistant than D. hansenii, while Lactobacillus plantarum was never affected), the cell concentration (at high inoculum higher amounts of propolis were required for an antimicrobial action), and the mode of action (a delay of growth rather than a complete inhibition). The results of this paper point out, for the first time, the antimicrobial activity of propolis against some spoilers, with a focus on the possible effect; thus, they could be the background to designing an effective tool to prolong the shelf life of foods.

Analytical characterization of “Indonesian amber” deposits: evidence of formation from volcanic activity

In this study the new mineralogical and geochemical evidence for the reason behind intensive resin production in trees and the formation of Indonesian resin deposits is presented. The analysed specimens of the “Indonesian amber” were subjected to the following comprehensive investigations: PAS, IR, RS XRD and SEM-EDS. It was found that the resins are originated due to intensive volcanic activity. Based on spectroscopic investigations, “Indonesian amber” was assigned to the glessite group. The investigations revealed that the traces of volcanic activity have survived in the studied specimens in their structure were the presence of tonstein and inorganic minerals are related to volcanic phenomena. “Floating” in opaque solid–foam resin indicated that resinous substance was strongly heated trough volcanic activity.

Development, structure and senescence of colleters in Gardenia lucida Roxb. (Rubiaceae)

Colleters are found on the adaxial basal part of the stipule and calyx of <em>Gardenia lucida</em>. They secrete a yellow transparent resinous substance commonly known as "Dikamali gum". They develop on both the stipule and calyx from a group of epidermal and hypodermal initials. A mature colleter consists of a central core of elongated parenchymatous cells surrounded by a palisade-like secretory epidermis. Druses type crystals of calcium oxalate are frequent in the colleters. At the time of senescence the central cells show lignification and the presence of tannin.

Study on Capillary Electrophoresis–Amperometric Detection Profiles from Propolis and its Medicinal Preparations

Propolis is a resinous substance collected by honeybees from leaf buds and cracks in the bark of various plants, the pharmacologically active components in the propolis are flavonoids and phenolic acids and their esters. A simultaneous determination of flavonoids and phenolic acids from propolis and its medicinal preparations by capillary electrophoresis with electrochemical detection (CE-ED) was reported. Under the optimum conditions, the analytes could be separated in a 100 mmol/l borate buffer (pH=8.7) within 25 min. The response was linear over three orders of magnitude with detection limit (S/N=3) ranging from 1×10-7 g/ml to 5×10-7 g/ml for the analytes. This method has been used for the determination of flavonoids and phenolic acids from propolis and its medicinal preparations, and the assay result was satisfactory.

A study of activity of local alcoholic propolis ointment in the treatment of the external wounds that experimentally infected with staphylococcus aureus in mice

Propolis (bee glue) is a sticky, gummy, resinous substance collected by honeybees from variousplant sources, which has various medicinal properties. This study aimed to know the therapeutic roleof ointment which prepared from extract of local propolis in treatment of external wounds thatexperimentally infected with S.aureus in experimental mice. The ratio of ethanolic extract of propolisamounted (33%) of the weight of the dry substance, it was glutinous with dark green color andcharacteristic odor. Moreover, the results of the preliminary chemical tests which was taken in thisstudy revealed that propolis contains flavonoids, resins, terpenes, and phenols.T tested the qualificationof ethanolic extract of propolis In vivo.Through its prepared as an ointment (9%) in the treatment of externalwounds which are induced in a lab. mice infected with S.aureus the ointment showed high qualificationto treat such wounds (8 days ) compared with control group(15 days ) and a group which treated withvaseline (15 days) that is assured by histopathological sections taken from the infected area before andafter treatment.

Mummies as medicinal tools

The term “mummy” is thought to be derived from the Persian or Arab word “moumiya”, meaning pitch or bitumen. It likely referred to the black, hard, and resinous substance probably used by the Egyptians in their embalming procedures during the late period and Ptolemaic Roman period. During medieval times and later, Arab and European physicians thought that mummies had medicinal properties. Egyptian mummies dug out of their tombs were sometimes grinded into powder and shipped across the Mediterranean to be sold as medicine for the cure of different diseases; for example epilepsy, abscesses, rashes, migraine, nausea etc. From the 12th to the 17th centuries, mummy remains could be found in apothecaries’ shops, and as late as 1908 they could be ordered from the catalogue of the Merck pharmaceutical company.

The opening mechanism of follicles of some species of Banksia

Banskia ornata F. Muell. is a common dominant in heaths in south-eastem Australia that are frequently swept by fires which kill the plants. Regeneration is only from seed, suggesting that the future of the species is almost completely fire-dependent. At maturity, a multiple fruit is formed consisting of a number of follicles attached to a central rachis. Each valve of the follicle consists of an exocarp comprising an epidermis with hair cells and some sclereid bundles; a mesocarp containing bundles of sclereids in which the microfibrils are almost transverse to the major cell axis; and an endocarp in which the innermost cells are fibrous in form and in which the microfibrils of cellulose are oriented mainly parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cell. Also present in the endocarp but abaxial to the fibrous sclereids are sclereid bundles that show similar microfibril orientation to the mesocarp sclereids. The junction between the valves of the follicle has a layer of interdigitating cells. A resinous substance together with phenols are present in and between these cells. Because of the difference in structure of the sclereids of the endocarp and of those of the mesocarp and exocarp, stresses develop between these tissues on desiccation. Events leading to the opening of the follicles are: (1) at maturity resin and phenols are secreted into the vascular elements at the base of the rachis, severing the vascular supply to the follicle; (2) with the advent of fire, the resin at the junction of the valves of the pericarp is destroyed, releasing the stress in the valves of the follicles, which reflex, allowing the release of seed. In B. marginata and B. Integrifolia, the anatomy of the valves of the follicle is basically similar to that of B. ornata. However, the follicles open without the intervention of fire. Thin-layer chromatography has shown that the resins extracted from the cells of the junction zone between the valves of the follicle of B. ornata are chemically different from those extracted from the non-fire-dependent species, suggesting that they may differ also in their physical properties.